Bahrain: ill-treatment and denial of medical care for political detainees

The Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR) urgently appeals upon the UN, the US, the UK and all governments that are close alleys of the Bahraini authorities to take action to stop the violations against prisoners of conscience. The BCHR expresses grave concern over the well-being of political detainees in Bahraini prisons who are having sham charges made against them, are being ill-treated and tortured, and are being denied adequate medical care. Many reports confirm the poor conditions of the prisons in Bahrain which adds to the suffering of their prisoners. Hussain Al Aali, Jaffar Eid and Mohammed Al Moghani are further examples of what prisoners are going through in Bahraini prisons.

Hussain Abdulla Al Aali is a 28 year old father of three. He was arrested on 26 July 2012 after his house, his in-laws’ and his sister’s house were raided several times at dawn over a period of two months as his mother stated to a local newspaper. Hussain’s family started a search after his arrest but were told by the authorities that they did not have him in their custody. Finally, and after weeks of not knowing anything about Hussain’s whereabouts and well-being, they were allowed a visit him. According to his family, Hussain is in solitary confinement to date in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

He was allegedly subjected to torture to force a confession out of him and he was kept in a very small cell under intensive monitoring where he was not even allowed private time in the toilet where there are surveillance cameras and he had no exposure to sun for weeks. Hussain’s health is deteriorating because of the prison’s poor conditions, ill-treatment and insufficient medical care. He suffers from disc problems in his back and because he is being denied medical treatment, his condition is worsening daily. His family added that they have learnt he is not being given sufficient food which will cause him malnutrition and a worsening of his mental and physical well-being. Hussain’s family are gravely concerned about their son’s health condition. He is charged with “the making and possession of explosive materials”, though he only attended elementary school, cannot read and write and his family have affirmed that their son was far from the political situation.

Jaffar Eid and Mohammed Al Moghani are also being detained in the same case. Jaffar is Hussain’s brother-in-law and his family said after their first visit that he was not well. On the second visit, he looked worse, he couldn’t walk or stand and the family noticed torture marks on his legs. Mohammed Al Moghani, 35 years old, was detained on 22 July from the airport after arriving in Bahrain. His family did not know anything about his location for a while and despite the fact that he was in detention, his house was raided several times and many personal items were taken.

Hussain, Jaffer and Mohammed are among hundreds of political detainees in Bahrain’s prisons who are being held on sham charges. Prisoners are being kept in poorly conditioned prisons, many are suffering from serious pre-existing illnesses or injuries caused by torture or excessive use of force by the authorities and are being denied medical care. Mohammed Mushaima, 22 years old, died from a lack of adequate medical care while in custody. Also, Mohammed Sahwan, Ebrahim Al Moqdad (15) and Sadeq Al Haiki are currently in detention and are also being denied proper medical care by the authorities.

Therefore, the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights demands the following:

• To immediately provide the necessary treatment to Hussain Al Aali, Jaffar Eid and all other prisoners in need of medical care in the prisons of Bahrain
• For the authorities in Bahrain to commit to international conventions which they have ratified, especially the rights of prisoners to receive full medical care
• The release of Hussain Al Aali, Jaffar Eid, Mohammed Al Moghani and others convicted in cases where the judgment is only based on confessions extracted under torture, which is internationally prohibited
• Accountability against those involved in torture and bringing them to a fair and independent judiciary